Knee joint structure for walking dolls



Aug. 14, 1956 co -m KNEE JOINT STRUCTURE FOR WALKING DOLLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1955 IN VEN TOR. .D/i v/o Gav/v ATTOF/VEY Aug. 14, 1956 D. COHN KNEE JOINT STRUCTURE FOR WALKING DOLLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1955 Arron/5r mmv TOR. A4 v/o COH/V United States Patent KNEE JOINT STRUCTURE FOR WALKING DOLLS David Colin, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Model Plastic Corporation, White Plains, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 24, 1955, Serial No. 530,338

8 Claims. c1. 46-449) This invention relates to a knee joint structure for walking type dolls.

In so-called walking dolls, the doll legs are interconnected so that if the doll is moved ahead on a supporting surface, alternating the motion from one leg to the other, the legs Will be projected forwardly in alternation to simulate walking. also to so construct the legs that the members thereof, namely the thighs and legs proper, maybe articulated so as to relatively move the same between walking and sitting postures. For this purpose the thigh and leg members are formed at the knee with a ball and socket joint and are themselves interconnected by resilient means such as a link and a tensioning element which function to'permit the manual articulation of the leg andthigh members between the walking and sitting postures and In dolls of this type, it is desirable to resiliently hold the members at such postures. How-,

ever, for the walking operation it is essential that the leg members (the thighs and the legs proper) be held in linearly positive or rigid walking posture, the said resilient interconnection between the leg members being insufiicient to accomplish this purpose. that the knee joint and thedescribed mechanism be so constructed that the manual articulation of the leg, members between the walking and sitting postures be carried out smoothly. It is also essential that-the leg andthigh members be held during their movements and in both It is further desirable t I their postures in resistance against relative twisting or torsional action of said members.

A prime object of my present invention centers about the provision of an improved knee joint structure for a walking type doll in which there is made possible the resilient manual articulation of the leg members at the knee joint between a walking posture and a sitting posture and in which the leg and thigh members may be held rigidly or positively in the walking posture, in normal resistance against relative movement or articulation.

A further prime object of the invention relates to an improved knee joint structure of this character described in which movement for articulating the leg and thigh members from the positively held walking position to the resiliently held sitting position may be accomplished 2,758,416 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 To the accomplishment of the above stated objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my in vention relates to the knee joint structure for walking dolls as sought to be defined in the appended claims taken together with the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a so-called walking type of doll to which the structure of the present invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevational view shown on an enlarged scale taken in medial cross-section of the leg members (the thigh and the leg member proper) of such a walking doll and showing the leg members in their walking posture; I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the leg members in a sitting posture;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with the parts of the thigh member shown in cross-section in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view taken in cross-section in the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view taken in cross-section in the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings and having' reference first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the principles of the invention are shown applied to a walking doll D provided with the leg memberscomprising the upper leg members or thighs 10 and the lower leg members (the legs proper) 12, Fig. 1 showing the posture of the doll in the walking operation. The present invention is particularly directed as'aforesaid to the knee joint structure generally indicated as 14 connecting the thigh members 10 and the leg members 12 of the doll. The knee joint itself is formed by the hollow thigh member 10 terminating in a socket 16 and by the hollow leg member 12 terminating in a ball 18 fitting the socket 16, the ball and socketdefining the knee joint proper. The thigh members 10 may be molded in one piece in the form depicted in the drawings and the leg members 12 may be molded in two sections 12 and 12* which are then united longitudinally along the line of joint 19, the customary plastic materials being employed for molding these parts into rigid shapes.

The mechanism for permitting the manual articulation of the leg and thigh members at the knee joint between a walking posture and a sitting posture and acting to resiliently hold the same at such postures comprises a rigid link 20 preferably formed from sheet metal anchored at its bottom hook end 22 to the leg member 12 as by being pivotally connected to a pin or red 24 extending transversely through'the ball portion 18 of the leg member 12, the said rod being held in opposed bosses 26, 26 (seeFig. 4) formed integrally with the leg member 12*. The link 20 extends upwardly from its anchored end 22 and protrudes into the thigh member 10. The lower end of the link member 20 is confined within an angularly shaped groove or slit 28 formed in the leg member (see particularly Figs. 2 and 6), the width of ple parts which are subject to economic manufacture and assembly and facile use and operation.

The present invention comprises an improvement to the knee joint structure for walking dolls disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 485,793 filed February I the groove being just sufiicient to accommodate the thickness (and the'movement) of the rigid link 20. A tensioning element such as the tension spring 30 is anchored at its upper end 32 to the thigh member 10 as by being attached to a cross-pin or rod 34 afiixed to bosses as, 36 molded integrally with the thigh member 1% the said tension spring being attached at its other end 33 to the upper end 40 of the link 20. The link 20 and the tensioning spring 30 define the mechanism for permitting the resilient manual articulation of the leg and thigh members between their walking and sitting postures and act to resiliently hold these members at both their walking and sitting postures as will be readily evident from an inspection of Figs. 2- and 3 of the drawings.

The combined action of the link 20 and the tension spring 30 for holding the'thigh and leg members in their different postures or positions is a'resilient one as above indicated. In the sitting posture of the thigh and leg parts the link 20 and the spring 30 assume a toggle active position (with referenceto thefballandlsocket parts 18 and 16) as clearly depictedinFig. 3 and thereby. the

thigh member and theleg'membe'r 12 are adequately.

I resistance against relative movement or articulation.

Suchmechanism comprises a 'clutchelement 42 mounted in one of the leg,mmbe'rsarranged in the path of movementofthetlinkf 20, said clutch element being adapted to .engage and'hold the link when the leg and thigh members are moved 'toawalking posture and to disengage and lrelea se the link when the leg and thigh members are moved'toward a sitting posture. It will be notedfrom Figs 2 and 3 of the drawings that the link and spring are. moved within the leg and thigh members as the latter are articulated, the link member 20 beingjmoved interiorly with reference to the. leg mem bers from the direct tensioned condition shown in Fig. 2 to the toggle active position shown in Fig. 3. The clutch element 42which may simplyconsist of'a resilient clip fixedly mounted in a seat 144 formed in a boss or protuberance 46 (molded'integrally with the leg part 12) and which is held'in the seatby means otwall parts 48, 48 (which are the walls that define the slit 28) is arranged to lie in the path of this movement of the linkl20, whereby when the leg members aremoved'to their walking position the spring jaws of the clip 42; engage the link 20 and seat themselves in an opening or slot 50 formed in the link and thus lock the link ,in position. sutficiently 'for positively holding the leg and'thigh members in their walking posture, as. willbe clear from .an inspection of Figs; 2 and6 of the drawings. When the leg members are articulatedytotheir sitting position a pull is exerted on the link 20 to effect its disengagement and release from the clutch element 42,the parts being then freely movable to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will be noted that the ball 18 of the knee joint is smooth and continuous over thesurface engaged by the similarly continuous edgeof the socket 16 of the joint and thereby the movement for articulating the leg and thigh members from the positively held walking position to the ;resiliently held sitting! position is accomplished smoothly and uninterruptedly. The clutch element 42' alone and its mating cooperation with the link 20 is relied upontto maintain the leg parts in their positive walking posture.

Mechanism is also provided for normally holding the leg and thigh members in all of their positions in resistance against relative twisting or torsional action. Such mechanism preferably comprises an element fixed to the thigh member 10 throughhwhich" the link 20 extends in non-rotatablerelation thereto. This ele'ment specifically comprises a slotted plate. 52 secured'in the bosses 54, 54 preferably molded integrally with the thigh member 10, the link extending through theslot 56 of said plate in non rotatable relation tosaid plate as is best showninlFigs. 2 and 5 of thetdrawings.

It will be observed that the main objects of the invention are achieved by means of a;very few and simple parts. which are subject to teconomic manufacture and 4 also designed to cooperate in its functioning with the link 20.

The. manner of making, assembling and using the improved knee joint structure for walking dolls of the present invention and the several advantages secured thereby in manufacture and use will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description. It will be further apparent that other changes may be made inthe structure and in the relation between the parts without departing from the. spirit-of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Aball andsocket knee joint for awalking type doll comprising a thigh member and a leg member, one terminating in a socket and the other terminating in a ball fitting the socket, the ball and socket defining the knee joint, meansfor permitting the manual articulation of the leg andthigh members at the knee joint between a walking posture and'a sitting posture and acting to resiliently hold the same at such postures, said means comprisng a link anchored interiorly to one of said members and protruding. into the other of said members and a tensioning element anchored interiorly at one end to said other of said'members and attached at the other end to the protruding end of the link, the link being movable within the leg and thigh members as the latter are articulated, and mechanism for positively holding the leg and thigh members in the walking posture comprising a clutch element mounted in one of said members arranged in the path of movement of said link, said clutch element being adapted to engage and hold the link when the leg and thigh members are moved to a Walking. posture and to disengage 2. A balland socket knee joint for a walking type doll comprising a thigh member and a leg member, one terminatingin a socket and the other terminating in a ball fitting;the socket,.the ball and socket defining the knee joint, means for permitting the manual articulation of the leg and thigh" members at the knee joint between a walking posture andta sitting posture and acting to resiliently hold the sameat such postures, said means comprising a link anchored interiorly to the leg member and protruding' into'the: thigh member and a tensioning element anchored'interiorly at one to the thigh member and attached at the other endtothe protruding end of the link, the link being movable within the leg and thigh members as the'latter are articulated, and mechanism for positively holding the leg and thigh members inthe walking posture comprising a clutch element mounted in one of said members arranged in the path of movement of said link, said clutch element being adapted to engage and hold the link when the leg and thigh members are moved to a -walking posture andto disengage and'release the link when'th'e leg and thigh members are moved towards a sitting posture;

3. The balland socket knee joint of claim Zin which the clutch element is fixedly mounted in-the leg member at the knee joint.

4. Aball and socket knee joint for a walking type doll comprising a thigh member and a leg member, one terminatingcin a socket and the other terminating in a ball fitting the socket, the ball and socket defining the knee joint, means for permittingthe manual articulation of the leg and thigh members at the knee joint between a walking posture and a sitting-posture and acting to resiliently hold the same -at;such postures,.said. means comprising a link-anchoredinteriorly-to-one of said members and protruding'into the othergof' said members and a tensioning element anchored; interiorly at one end to said other of said members and-attached at the other end to the protrudingend. of jthe1link. the linkand tensioning element being movable=between ,two'positions within the leg and thigh-:members aas ,the 'latter are articulated, and assuming a toggle active position when the leg and thigh members assume the sitting posture, and mechanism for positively holding the leg and thigh members in the walking posture comprising a clutch element mounted in one of said mem- I bers arranged in the path of movement of said link, said clutch element being adapted to engage and hold the link when the leg and thigh members are moved to a walking posture and to disengage and release the link when the leg and thigh members are moved towards a sitting posture.

5. A ball and socket knee joint for a walking type doll comprising a thigh member and a leg member, one terminating in a socket and the other terminating in a ball fitting the socket, the ball and socket defining the knee joint, means for permitting the manual articulation of the leg and thigh members at the knee joint between a walk,- ing posture and a sitting posture and acting to resiliently hold the same at such postures, said means comprising a link anchored interiorly to one of said members and protruding into the other of said members and a tensioning element anchored interiorly at one end to said other of said members and attached at the other end to the protruding end of the link, the link being movable within the leg and thigh members as the latter are articulated, mechanism for positively holding the leg and thigh members in the walking posture comprising a clutch element mounted in one of said members arranged in the path of movement of said link, said clutch element being adapted to engage and hold the link when the leg and thigh members are moved to a walking posture and to disengage and release the link when the leg and thigh members are moved towards a sitting posture, and mechanism for normally holding the leg and thigh members in resistance againstrelatively twisting action of said memwalking posture and a sitting posture and acting to resiliently hold the same at such postures, said means comprising a link anchored interiorly to the leg member and protruding into the thigh member and a tensioning element anchored interiorly at one end to the thigh member and attached at the other end to the protruding end of the link, the link being movable within the leg and thigh members as the latter are articulated, mechanism for positively holding the leg and thigh members in the walking posturecomprising a clutch element mounted in one of said members arranged in the path of movement of said link, said clutch element being adapted to engage and hold the link when the leg and thigh members are moved to a walking posture and to disengage and release the link when the leg and thigh members are moved towards a sitting posture,'and mechanism for normally holding the leg and thigh members in resistance against relatively twisting action of said members.

7. The ball and socket joint of claim 6 in which said last mentioned mechanism comprises an element fixed to said thigh member through which the link extends in nonrotatable relation thereto.

8. The ball and socket joint of claim 7 in which said element comprises a slotted plate, the link extending through said plate in non-rotatable relation thereto.

References Cited in the. file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

